


Worth Doing

by attaccabottoni



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:28:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6829816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attaccabottoni/pseuds/attaccabottoni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"I can't even go out to the market to buy fruits without causing an international incident."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth Doing

**Author's Note:**

> The angst-free sort of future fic/AU where everything is all right and it's all good. Alternatively, a list of things to do while waiting to know what will happen to Bucky next.
> 
>  _“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.”_ \--G.K. Chesterton, in defense of hobbies

 

 

 

After all the dust has settled, Bucky turns to Sam. "What now?"

With his tired but jubilant face turning to an expression of grimness, signaling to Bucky that he is about to be provoked into bickering, Sam replies, "Now, it's time for lots of therapy."

 

 

 

"Recreational activities," Bucky repeats for the third time.

"I told my therapist that the simplest thing I could do that gives me peace is to sleep," Steve says, his words muffled by the pillow he has his face planted on since Bucky found him on lying down on his stomach on the couch earlier, but still audible to Bucky's enhanced hearing. "She says I am allowed to get away with it for a week. After that, she's going to insist that I take that same assignment seriously."

"Maybe I should just switch to Dr. Clara," Bucky mutters.

"Dr. Clara has a pet cat named [Macaron](https://www.google.com/search?q=pronunciation+macaron)." It's funny how Steve insists on saying the last word in its French pronunciation with his mouth still mashed on the pillow. "She keeps talking about how stubborn Macaron is, and how taking care of him helps deepen her understanding of the value of patience. I suspect that she was really referring to me."

"So you're saying that I should get a pet?"

"If you want."

"How do you suppose I do that while I'm technically still in hiding? If I need to go back on the run, I can't dump my pet on some stranger's mercies, and given that everyone we know leads an unstable lifestyle, none of us can promise to take care of pets on each other's behalf for an indefinite period."

Steve lifts his head from the pillow to look at him sympathetically. "You're right, it's not fair to inflict that on a pet."

"Got any other bright ideas?"

 

 

 

"Knitting?"

T'Challa nods firmly. "You can even do it [one-handed](http://www.google.com/search?q=knitting+one+handed), if you want it to be a more challenging exercise in dexterity."

Bucky grins at him. "You know, you're not really helping your reputation of being a cat person."

Bucky thinks that if not for the fact that he is royalty, T'Challa would have rolled a newspaper and smacked him with it for that remark.

 

 

 

"Video games also help give you an outlet for aggression."

Bucky narrows his eyes. "You volunteering to fight me?"

"Hell no!" Scott squeaks out. "I'm not fighting a war hero, a national treasure, and if I accidentally threatened you, please tell Steve not to hurt me."

"I'm kidding. Calm down."

Bucky ends up feeling bad in teasing Scott, so he offers to play darts with him, which means a three-inch Scott riding gleefully on the darts Bucky throws with his metal arm.

 

 

 

"You're joking, right?"

Wanda raises an eyebrow. "It says a lot when a man refuses to entertain the thought of cleaning."

"Whoa, hey," Bucky says, raising both hands. "I think you're mistaking me for the artist I share an apartment with, who can't be bothered to do more than [leave dishes in the sink](http://www.google.com/search?q=captain+america+leaves+dishes+in+the+sink)."

They both hear Steve shout, "I heard that," from his studio.

Wanda lifts her mug to her lips to hide her smirk as Bucky continues, "That said, Steve can confirm that I picked up after three younger sisters, too. I just don't see how cleaning can be considered a hobby."

"You'd be amazed at how much dusting I am only able to accomplish because of my powers."

 

 

 

They were watching _Ratatouille_ when Steve's phone vibrates. 

"Nat says you could try cooking."

Bucky doesn't look away from the screen while saying, "I can't even go out to the market to buy fruits without causing an international incident."

In the space between the sounds of Steve tapping out a reply on his phone and the buzz of a message notification, Bucky counts forty-two seconds out of habit.

"Uh, her text says, 'Forgot to tell you, I ate the plums in your backpack, sad face.'"

Amidst the confusion in the wake of that statement, Bucky forgets to count the seconds as well as pay attention to the movie.

"Is she trying to annoy me?"

"I thought it was some kind of code."

Incredulous, Bucky glances at Steve. "Code for what?"

It is even more baffling that Steve ducks his head to avoid his gaze, the tips of his ears reddening. "I have no idea how flirting goes in the intelligence community."

"What?"

"Maybe I should get you a phone, and give Nat your number."

"Steve!"

 

 

 

Bucky blinks at the racket in his hand.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it! There's pinpoint accuracy involved in playing badminton, including calculations for air currents and the condition of the feathers of the shuttlecock. Real badminton means hitting birdies at two hundred miles per hour, and it's like trying to return a bullet. I bet you haven't considered how much damage you can do if you play with your metal arm--wait, I don't like that glint in your eye."

He's not sure if Clint's great plan is to trick him into smashing shuttlecocks to make a bunch of [watermelons](http://www.google.com/search?q=badminton+watermelon) explode, but he has to admit it makes for an impressive display.

 

 

 

"It's not a hobby."

"Thirty minutes, max."

"Your metal arm is not allowed anywhere near my wings."

"Okay, but if you carry me while we fly in and out of the [Grand Canyon](http://www.google.com/search?q=paragliding+grand+canyon), we'll be back before anyone catches wind of it."

"Bucky, no."

 

 

 

"Have you seen the papers I left here on the coffee table?" 

He takes a moment to relish in his saying of the words 'coffee table,' as part of the new vocabulary he has now. Bucky knows his life is far from what he has ever had the capacity to imagine, and it's in the little things like having a coffee table that reminds him to be grateful.

Steve's eyes widen. "You mean, those were yours?"

Bucky scratches his cheek, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I know my handwriting is probably not the same as you remember, but I was just doodling some ideas for improving my arm--"

"No, I mean, I didn't notice your handwriting because I only glanced at the drawings. The papers looked like schematics for advanced prosthetics, and I didn't know you can draw up plans like that, Bucky." Steve beams at him. "That's great!"

"I'm not cut out to be an artist like you." He sees Steve puff up in indignation, so he holds up a hand to forestall the incoming protest. "We can argue about that later. Just tell me if you threw out the papers so I could start dumpster diving." Steve then looks alarmingly apologetic. "So, where are they?"

"I'm sorry, I just sent those papers to Tony."

"You what?"

"I wasn't really thinking anything except, 'Gee, these are so neat, maybe Tony would like to see them.'"

Bucky only starts panicking when Steve's phone rings.

"If it's not an emergency, I can get Tony to call later."

"He's bound to ask about it eventually." 

Bucky runs a hand through his hair while Steve ignores the phone in his hand, watching him intently.

"What do you want me to say to him?"

So much possibility echoes in Steve's voice, and Bucky realizes that even though finding a hobby has never been more dangerous, he's not going to let that stop him. And Steve deserves to have one of his hopes answered.

Bucky musters a small smile. "Tell him that if he's willing to work with me, we can talk about the next step."

 

 

 

"Couldn't you have sent them instead to T'Challa?"

"It was a tactical decision. Tony will be insufferable if I did."

"...You have a point."

 

 

 

 


End file.
